Rail joint



DCC. 9, 1930. J, A LARSON 1,784,604

RAIL JOINT Filed Jan. 27, 1950 /7 I l I y-7 4. ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES rmxrlalav'wrv OFFICE JoHN A. LARsoN, 01.1 sANaosn, CALIFORNIA BAIL JOINT Application inea :ramiaiy 27, 41930. seriarNo. 423,623.

and wheels, as well as the objectionable noises v and Wheel bumping and hammering actions, are eliminated in a particularly eficient manner. i

Another object is to provide a rail joint of the character described in which the rail ends are laid upon a common bed or base plate which is designed to be supported on two ties one on each side of the joint and is provided with an integral or rigidly fixed side plate having a novel supporting engagement with the rail ends and arranged to have its upper edge disposed substantially iush with the tread surfaces of the rails whereby it will offer a smooth unbroken wheelv supporting track section past the joint and insure the provision of a smooth, strong, comparatively wearproof and noiseproof joint.`

A `further object is to provide rail joining device of the character described which willeliminate welding at the rail ends and providefor 4a saving in time, labor, material,

and installation and upkeep costs owing to the elimination of breakage, chippin g,`undue wear and wheel hammering actions at theV joint. i

Still anotherV is toprovide a rail joint of the character described inwhich provision is made in la particularly efficient manner for conduits or passageways for electrical. coin .ductors and for maintaining a welllubriA 4cated joint wherein free rail movement is perrails. j

AThe invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description oflthe preferredY form .of

7 mitted onfeXpansion and contraction of the `the invention lwhich is illustrated, ink the drawings accompanyingy and forming part of the specification. l'It is to be understood, howe-V ever,that variations in the showing made by the saiddrawings and description may be adopted withinthe scope of the invention as set' forth -in the claims.

`Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of-the rail joint of my invention. l

Figure 2 vrepresents a plan view of the joint.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of lines 3--3 of Figure` 2. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on they plane of line 4--4 of Figure 2.

One embodiment of myinvention, as illustratedfin the accompanying drawing, comprises a rail joining device which generally consists-of a metal bed or base plate l, a side plate 2 preferably formed integral withthe y,

basevplate, and a removable side plate 3. arranged to be bolted to the rails and other side plate `and to also be locked to the base plate. Preferably these three elements of the joining deviceare of equal length and arranged-to be supported on three ties 4, 5, 6, disposed so that there is provideda two: tie support on each side of the joint of the'two rails 7 and 8. By this tie support arrangement a secure and strong anchoragev of the joint` is insured and the rails and rail ends will be maintained level whereby swaying and bumping of tractionvehicles passing over the rails is effectively obviated. v

The base plate 1 is widerv vthan and arrangedto extend under the bases of the rails and be spiked Vto the ties in any suitable manner. In theI upper side vofthebase plate are grooves10for grease wherebythe'joint will be lubricatedand theiails may freely move under expansion and contraction thereof. Withthe two rails supportedon the base plate it will be seen that theends of the rails will be 'maintained in `proper level y and alignedrelation at all times.A

The integral side plate 2' is so formed 'and `iinedly joined to the base plate that there is provided a groove-like pocket 11 in which the bases of the rails snugly engage as shown in Figures 3 and el, with the side plate overlying the upper side o'f the said bases. More specifically, the side plate is comprised of a short upright portion 12 against the inner side or' which the edges of the rail bases engage, and extended from the upper end of the short' upright portion 12 is anupwardly and inwardly inclined portion lavwhich overlies the rail bases, whereas fro1n-the inner edge of the portion 14 is an upstanding p01*-,y

Vbut at all events are' preferably made to extion 15, the upper edge of which terminates 1n substantiallyvflush relation to the tread surfaces of the rails. It desired, the portion 15 is formed with its thickest portion :central-c ly of its ends` and opposite the rail joint and is gradually decreased in thickness towards its ends, whereby maximum strengthis provided at the j oint.V rlhus it `wil-l Vbe seen that the wheels vof rolling stock will ride on the upper edge vofthe side pla-te which oiiers a smooth unbroken track section, sup-porting along and at'the joints -theweight of rolling stock in conjunction with the rails and thereby preventing sagging` or depression of the rails, and eliminating the'brealing oil' or -undue wear of the rail ends and wheels and also eliminating wheel bumping and all objectionable noises attendant on such bumping.Y

, Additional'support of the rails and added joint security and strength are provided by flanges 17 and 18 which extend inwardly and laterally from the portion 15 of the side'plate 2. The liange 17 engages the under sides of the heads of thelV rails andV also Vthe webs of the rails adjacent the joint. VThe flange 18 is disposed in spaced relation to land below the flange 17 and engages the webs or" the rails approximately midway of the upper land lower edges ot said webs. Furthermore the llanges 17 and 18 define passageways or conduits 19 for flexible electrical conductors not shown, 'but which are usually employed Y to electrically connect the rails at the joints thereof.

The removable joint plate 3 comprises an inclined base portion 2Ov arranged to engage base plate 1, whereby/the plate 3 is lockrid*V against lateralV displacement., Extending upward from'the base'portion20 of .the plate 3 is a vertical portion 23 corresponding to the portion 15 of theplate f2 and provided with a laterally and` inwardly extending flange 211 arranged to engage the rail lhead in the same manner as'theiange 17. Between the flange 24 and the base portion 20 the portion 23 isprovidedi with'a flange 25 simi-V lar to the one 18 andarranged to engage `the rail webs at points in line with said flanges The base 20 of the side plate 3 is` provided with hook portions 26 arranged to hook under the base plate between the ties. At points over the ties said base is provided with oil'set extensions 27 which lie upon said ties and may be secured thereto by spikes 28. This is but one form of removable side plate and serves most'efliciently as a part of the rail oint. The construction of the side plate mayvary when the ties are differently laid tend .and overlie the ties and to hook under the base plate;

VThe plates 2 and 8 and the rails are held together as here shown by four bolts 29 passing through aligned openings in the portions k155 and 23 of the plates 2 and .3 land :through the webs of the rails. The opening S10-ofthe plates 2 and Bare elongated,ras shown in Figure 1 whereby free movement of the rails on expansion and contraction thereof is provided for. Itfwill now be apparent that I have provided a rail joining means which is comparatively simple as to construction, consists of few parts, and may be readily, easily and cheaply installedl or taken down, with a savino'A in time and labor as compared t othertypes of joining devices.

An important feature is the provision for supporting the rail ends on a common base plate which carries integral and removable side plates, that together' with the base` plate contactwith, hold together and support the rails in a particularly eiiicient manner, and so'thatrpart of the weight of the rolling stock is placed directly on the joint lmeans wherebyto save therail ends' from damage, as hereinbefore pointed out. It is to be lnoted that the portions 12, 14;, 15, 17 and 18 of the side plate 2, engage the rail base edges, the Vrail baseV upper sides, the sides and under Vfaces of the rail heads, and spaced points on the rail webs, whereas the -plate 3, excepting the upper edge thereof, similarly engages the rails and these arrangements insure a rl-gi d, secureand strong railjoint in which relative Vdepression or sagging or lateral displace- Y ment ofthe rail ends and the objections which itollow such derangements are positively elimnated. Y

I claim: f Y 1. In a rail joint, a base plate arranged to be placed under the bases of and to support rails to be joined, an integral Yside 4plate carried by said base plate and having a portion thereof overlying "and engagingthe upper sides of the said rail bases, and another ,portion arranged to extend upward alongthe sides of the Arails withits upper edge substantially flush with the tread surface of said rails in position to be engaged bywheels of aprailway vehicle passing over thejoint, another rail clamping vplate bolted to'said integral side plate, `having a portion Van integral with the last named plate and disposed to overlie the bases of the rails and said base plate and to lie upon ties-adjacent the rail joint.

2. In a rail joint, a base plate arranged to have the bases of rails rested and supported thereon and side plates secured to said base plate and arranged .to be bolted together through and against the rails to be joined thereby, and hook portions on certain of the side plates arranged to hook over and under an edge oi the base plate between the rail ties adjacent to the rail joint, and laterally extending` portions on the last named plates extending over and beyond the base plate and engaging and being Vspiked to said ties.

3. In a rail joint, a base plate arranged to be placed under the bases of' 'andto support rails to be joined, an integral side plate carried by said base plate and having` a portion thereof overlying and engaging the 'upper sides of the said rail bases, another portion arranged to extend upward along the sides ot the rails with its upper edge substantially iush with the tread surface of said rails in position to be engaged by wheels oit a railway vehicle passing over the joint, another rail clamping plate bolted to said integral side plate, and portions on the last named side plate arranged to hook over and under the base plate, and other portions on said last named side plate arranged to extend outwardly over and beyond the base plate to rest upon rail ties adjacent the rail joint, said last named portions being oiiset to define shoulders disposed to engage the adjacent edges of the rail bases.

4. In a rail joint, a base plate arranged to have the bases of the rails rested and supported thereon, side plates associated with said base plate and arranged to be bolted Vtogether through and against the rails, portions of one of said plates being bent to hook under the base platebetween rail ties adjacent the joint, and members on said last named j plate extending outwardly therefrom over the rail bases and base plate and lying upon said rail ties.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this 8th day of January, 1930.

JOHN A. LARSON. 

